My Cooper S is finally ready for me to pick up, and now of course I'm informed of the optional extra costs.

The dealership is offering 4 different protection packages. Can anyone tell me what I really should be considering getting? For my interior, I went with the leatherette.

(costs in Canadian dollars)

The Essential Spa - $699
Paint Protection
Interior Protection
Spa Detail Kit
Lifetime Warranty

The Signature Spa - $1199
Paint Protection
Interior Protection
Spa Detail Kit
Chemical Rust Protection
Sound Barrier Protection
Lifetime Warranty

The Luxury Spa - $1599
Paint Protection
Interior Protection
Spa Detail Kit
Electronic Rust Module
Sound Barrier Protection
Lifetime Warranty
Hood Rock Guard

The Elite Spa - $1799
Paint Protection
Interior Protection
Spa Detail Kit
Electronic Rust Module
Sound Barrier Protection
Surface Rust Protection
Rip Tear Burn Protection
Lifetime Warranty
Hood Rock Guard

Thanks for your help,
Todd

 

hahaha! im sorry todd, but these are all junk. they are just a way for a dealer to make more money off of you. like when you go to the electronics store and buy a TV then they try and sell the warrenty bla bla bla. thats how they make extra $$$ too. im sure im not the only person that will tell you that here. in my opinion. get you car, put some awesome zaino on the outside to protect the paint and use 303 on the inside and your car will last. and by the way what is sound barrier protection?

 

Waste of money just" dealer padding"

 

Oh My! You might be interested in purchasing a bridge I have recently acquired in lower Manhattan...

Seriously, heed the aforementioned advice. The pleather is very durable and 303 works great on all the interior and exterior plastic bits. The paint should receive regular applications of wax. Zaino and Klasse are good synthetic products that last a long time.

If you really want to spend some more money for protection, get the Armourfend or Invisishield clear material for the nose of the MINI. Or go low-tech and buy a Colgan bra.

Theo

 

I used to work at a dealership as a summer job years ago. Know what the $400 "interior protectant package" was? A car wash jockey waving a can of generic scotch-guard around for 10 seconds or so.
Save your money.

 

WOW!! Thanks for all your advice people. Much appreciated.

I would rather take the time and do it right, myself. Thanks for the product suggestions too.

 

Although Im not big on protection paks--especially after working at a dealership and seeing the huge markups--I highly suggest three things: get all lights, the front of the bonnet, and the area below the grill (where the turn/fog lites are) 3M protected. Becasue the MINI is so low, these areas get a lot of road damage from rocks, pebbles, misc. objects etc etc. Although I 3M'd my lower bonnet and applied covers on all lights, I did not do the lower section, and after 10K it's starting to look pretty pocked-up bad. Jimbo

 

yeah, we just bought a pepper white that had a "protection package" to the exterior and interior cloth seats that was an additional $395.00. We didn't want it but the dealer said it was already applied to the car and has a 5 year warranty against exterior rust, fade, etc.

I had done research before buying and like the previous posts mention, it's merely a glorified wash-n-wax and scotch guard of the interior. not worth it IMO.

 

definatly get the invisisheld/clearbra aftermarket.

 

Electronic Rust Module

I would seriously think twice about patronizing any dealer that would try to foist this kind of crap off on their customers.

 

just tell the porter to use a clean towel to wash and wipe.

jk.. get a nice coat of polymer wax every 2-3 months. that's all you need.
wash/wipe regulary.

 

5 year warranty. doesnt the MINI come with a 12 year rust warranty?

 

Think I would save my money and order a Zaino starter kit.

 

Few years back, I bought a new Honda Element (I know, we all make mistakes in our life) that had a $400 protection package already applied. I told the dealer "thanks anyway" and to take it off, I didn't want it.

He DID remove it from the bottom line.

 

It's not like Todd has a lot of options...if you care to check your atlas, the nearest MINI dealership from Edmonton is 200 miles away in Calgary, and the same "protection packages" are flogged there!! Even the clear bra is ridiculously expensive if installed by the dealership.

 

The Zaino is on order .... and the dealership is doing the 3M Clear Bra for free! .... I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.

 

Good choice and the Bra for free...VERY good deal.

Cheers

 

spend $50 or so on the MINI head/turn/fog lite covers by 3M (got mine thru MiniMania.) Will save an expensive headlight repair (esp. Xenons) should a rock hit the lite.

Oh and like Zaino will provide protection from a 90 mph rock hitting your bonnet... C'mon it's good stuff, but not THAT good! Jimbo

 

Don't waste your money on protection packages - waste it on something else.